Wednesday, December 09, 2015

Coffee and Provocation

The U.S. Is Number One in Dog OwnershipFrom an article in The Atlantic about global dog ownership comes this note: "[T]he US remains the paragon of dog love, with the world's biggest pet pooch population in both absolute and per capita terms (one dog for every four Americans). But elsewhere, dogs are on the rise, and the rapid changes in the extent and nature of ownership reflect new economic realities."Carrie Fischer and Her Dog are the Funniest Interview EverThis lady is a ball and a hoot.64-Year Old Albatross is Going to be a Mom... AgainThis bird is a baby production machine who has also flown an estimated 6 million miles.To Sleep... Perchance to DreamA 2015 study of edible dormice found that some animals hibernated underground for up to 11.4 months, the longest hibernation period ever observed in the wild. They stayed underground in low seed and nut years, opting to avoid predators and to conserve resources by not having kids.Don't Believe the HypeAmericans are safer than they have been in decades. Murders in the US are at a historic low.China is Making Lots of ForestChina's forest cover has grown from 8.6 per cent in 1949 to more than 20 per cent today.The Losers and Liars at LACSA case against fox hunters in Devon, brought by the League Against Cruel Sports, has collapsed due to lies told to the court by their expert witness, Professor Stephen Harris. Another 100,000 pounds down the drain. Countryside Alliance chief executive Tim Bonner said: "This appalling case raises a series of fundamental questions about the abuse of the criminal justice system by vindictive private prosecutors."Leave No Soldier BehindUnder a new law, every U.S. military dog will be brought home.Deaths from Law Enforcement Rose 45%